Chapter 277

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Serena's POV

Judge's gavel crashed down. "Order! This is a court of law, Mr. Burton. One more outburst and you will be held in contempt!"

I watched as Burton forced himself to calm down, his hands gripping the witness stand so tightly his knuckles turned white. The air in the courtroom felt electric, charged with tension and barely contained emotions.

Benjamin Kennedy approached the witness stand. "Please state your name for the record."

"Finn Burton," he replied, his voice trembling with suppressed anger.

"And what was your relationship with the defendant, Mr. Harrington?"

"We were business partners," Burton spat the words out. "Now? Now he's the man who destroyed my life. He convinced me to invest everything I had - my life savings, my children's college funds, even my mother's retirement money. Over $200 million, gone because I trusted him."

As the testimony continued, I observed Grayson Chen and Samuel Hunt being called to the stand. Both men, former executives in Harrington's overseas operations, admitted to participating in illegal activities. The total amount involved in their testimony was staggering - over $20 billion in fraudulent transactions.

When Dylan Anderson, Lucas's defense attorney, stood to begin his cross-examination, I could sense the shift in the courtroom's atmosphere. The gallery erupted in murmurs and whispers, a wave of tension rolling through the assembled crowd.

Judge's face darkened. "Silence!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. The courtroom fell instantly quiet, the only sound the nervous shuffling of papers.

Dylan maintained his composure as he presented his case with unwavering confidence.

"My client, Lucas Harrington, had no involvement in the alleged fraudulent activities," Dylan stated deliberately, emphasizing each word with precision. "He was unknowingly exploited by Grayson and Samuel, who used his name to conduct illegal operations."

The chief judge leaned forward, his expression stern. "The defense will need to provide evidence supporting your client's innocence."

I watched as Dylan methodically began presenting his evidence. "First, the two hundred million dollars in question were never in my client's accounts. If Mr. Harrington had been involved, he would have had access to these funds. Our investigation shows that while Mr. Harrington's accounts contain substantial assets, every dollar can be traced to legitimate business operations. I can provide comprehensive financial records from 2018 to 2021 demonstrating this."

He continued with unwavering confidence, "Furthermore, I have detailed account statements from both Grayson and Samuel. These records reveal multiple unexplained deposits between 2018 and 2021, totaling approximately sixty-eight million dollars."

My breath caught as Dylan produced his final piece of evidence. "Finally, I have an audio recording that will definitively clear my client of all suspicion. With the court's permission, I would like to play this recording."

The courtroom fell silent as the recording began to play. Two distinct voices emerged through the speakers - one deep and middle-aged, the other younger but authoritative. Their conversation clearly revealed a scheme to use Lucas Harrington's name for illegal activities, including threats and extortion.

When the recording ended, murmurs rippled through the courtroom. Some questioned the recording's authenticity, while others speculated about the speakers' identities.

Dylan approached the judge's bench with measured steps. "This evidence clearly shows that my client was merely an unwitting pawn. And I believe both the judge and the prosecution recognized one of those voices as belonging to Grayson, who is present in this courtroom today."

I shifted my gaze to Grayson, watching as the color drained from his face. His composure crumbled as he stammered, "That... that's not me! I've never recorded anything like that. I don't know where this came from - you're framing me!"

Just then, I saw Benjamin Kennedy, the prosecutor, rise smoothly to his feet. His voice carried authority as he addressed the court, systematically analyzing the defense's evidence.

"I've carefully examined the evidence presented by the defense," Kennedy began, his argument precise and measured. "Firstly, while Mr. Harrington's personal accounts appear legitimate, this doesn't preclude the possibility that he channeled funds through family members or third parties. We cannot definitively rule out his involvement based solely on his personal accounts."

His penetrating gaze swept across the courtroom as he continued, "Secondly, while the evidence against Grayson and Samuel certainly implicates them - as they've admitted - their testimony today serves as valid evidence precisely because of their involvement."

Kennedy's voice grew more assured: "Thirdly, regarding the audio recording we just heard, whether or not the voice belongs to Grayson is almost irrelevant. In today's technological landscape, voice imitation is readily achievable. Even if it is Grayson's voice, we must consider the possibility that he was coerced into making this recording."

He concluded with authority: "Based on these points, I move that none of the defense's evidence should be admitted as conclusive proof of Mr. Harrington's innocence."

From my position in the gallery, I had to acknowledge the effectiveness of Kennedy's methodical dismantling of the defense's case. The tension in the courtroom was palpable as his words sank in, and I could feel the atmosphere growing heavier with each passing moment.

My fists unconsciously tightened. I had anticipated this - Benjamin Kennedy wouldn't just act as a regular prosecutor in this case. He could have recused himself but chose not to, which meant he must have reached some agreement with the Thorne family.

Quinn noticed my tension and whispered in my ear, "Stay calm. The evidence Lucas provided isn't sufficient to prove his innocence yet. Kennedy is just doing his job by raising these questions. From my professional perspective, I would have raised similar concerns. He's not showing favoritism."

I bit my lip as she continued, "Besides, if Lucas is truly innocent, it's better to clear all suspicions in court to avoid future complications."

I nodded silently. I knew Quinn was right - my current irrationality stemmed purely from seeing Lucas at a disadvantage. And I honestly didn't know if I could accept an... unfavorable verdict.

All the emotions I'd been suppressing began to crumble at that moment. To be precise, my internal defenses had been slowly disappearing since the moment I learned about his detention. The strength, calmness, and composure I'd been showing were just a facade. During this period, Lucas consumed most of my thoughts - I just wanted him to be free. After this, we could start anew. I wanted to make up for my past debts to him, for all those times I pushed him away selfishly, thinking only of my own interests.

After a period of silence in the courtroom, just as the judge was about to speak, Dylan suddenly spoke up. Earlier, he had appeared speechless after Benjamin Kennedy's questioning, somewhat embarrassed. But now he suddenly seemed energized as he said, "I would like to address the prosecutor's concerns. Regarding the claim that my client's account statements alone are insufficient to prove that the unexplained income didn't end up in my client's possession, I now have a detailed report showing the complete flow of funds."

Dylan produced another document. I noticed everyone's surprised expressions. This meant that the shadowy figures trying to frame Lucas were real, and they had identified who they were!

"Beyond the profits in Grayson and Samuel's accounts, the remaining money was divided into twenty accounts, distributed among various individuals and companies. Here is a complete list for the court, Your Honor, and the prosecution to review," Dylan respectfully submitted the document.

The judge spoke sternly, "According to the Federal Rules of Evidence, we need to consider whether to accept new evidence that wasn't submitted to the court in advance. Does the prosecution have any objections?"